Russia Launches Devastating Attack on Ukraine, Killing at Least 18 Civilians
Russia fired more than 650 drones and 70 missiles at Ukrainian cities early Tuesday morning, killing at least 18 people including children and wounding over 100 others in attacks on Kyiv, Dnipro, and other major cities. President Zelenskyy pleaded for more U.S. air defense support as Ukraine faces shortages due to the Iran war.
Large-Scale Russian Assault
Ukrainian authorities say at least 18 people have been killed and dozens wounded in Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, days after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Moscow was preparing for a major offensive. Russia launched 656 drones and 73 missiles at Ukraine overnight, Ukraine's air force said on Tuesday.
Civilian Toll and Damage
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said six people were killed in the Ukrainian capital and at least 66 others, including two children, were wounded in the "mass enemy attack". Emergency crews digging through the wreckage pulled out the body of a 3-year-old child and the bodies of a mother and her 8-year-old son in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, officials said. Residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure were damaged in eight Kyiv districts.
Strategic Context
The Russian strategy seeks to take advantage of Ukraine's shortage of U.S.-made Patriot air defense missiles, with international stocks depleted by the Iran war. That has left civilians especially vulnerable to the Russian ballistic missile barrages, even as air defenses stop most of the attack drones. "Assistance from the United States in supplying missiles for Patriot systems is absolutely necessary," Zelenskyy added.
Warning and Broader Conflict
Kyiv residents had been on edge for days after Russia warned that a massive aerial attack was coming and warned foreign diplomats to leave the Ukrainian capital. None appeared to heed the call. The attack reflects Russia's broader strategy of targeting civilian infrastructure amid battlefield setbacks.